Chapter 1 Aria's POV

“Hello?” I called out, my voice shaky as it echoed into the darkness.

Silence was my only reply.

The road around me was deserted no lights, no cars, just shadows stretching endlessly on either side. My car had broken down miles away, and now the chill of the night air seeped through my jacket as I walked, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth.

Something felt off about the night. The air was unnaturally still and thick, carrying a strange, metallic scent that reminded me of blood.

I paused, my breath hitching. “Is anyone there?”

That’s when I heard it.

A low, guttural growl sent a chill down my spine. It wasn’t too close not yet but it was deep enough to resonate in my bones.

My heart raced. I turned in circles, scanning the shadows. “Hello?” I called again, a bit louder this time.

Still nothing. Just the unsettling sound of something moving around me.

My hand trembled as I flicked on my flashlight, the beam flickering once, Then, it stopped working. “No, no, no,” I murmured, tapping it, but it wouldn’t turn back on. Suddenly, the growl returned closer this time.

I took off running not knowing where I was going. It happened instinctively; I didn't stop to think. Branches struck my arms, leaves crunched beneath my boots, and the forest seemed to close in around me. I could hear it pursuing me, swift and powerful, the sound of heavy paws hitting the ground. I stumbled over a root and fell hard, the air rushing from my lungs. Pain shot through my knee, but before I could move, I glanced up and froze.

Two red eyes glared back at me from the shadows: cold, wild, and predatory. I couldn’t scream; I couldn’t even catch my breath. The creature emerged from the darkness—a huge figure, its thick fur shimmering in the blood-red moonlight. It bared its teeth, a low growl rising from deep within.

“Stay down!” a voice growled, deep and inhumanly calm.

Another with golden eyes with gray furs held him down as the two huge wolves began fighting.

The one that had come after me was thrown back before it turned and dashed into the trees.

The gray wolf , the one who had saved me stood still for a moment, its chest heaving, eyes gleaming like molten gold. Then it turned toward me and let out a long, haunting howl that sent shivers crawling down my skin.

Moments later, another figure appeared a man carrying a bundle of clothes. He tossed them toward the wolf and stepped back.

And then, before my eyes, the impossible happened. The gray wolf began to change bones shifting, fur receding, until a man stood in its place. Tall. Broad-shouldered. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and his eyes golden

He stepped closer, voice low but steady.

“You shouldn’t be here during the Crimson Moon.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The world tilted, blurring around me.

He reached out, catching me just before I fell.

And then, everything went black.

___

The last thing I remembered was running. The forest had come alive with growls shadows darting between the trees, too fast to see. My lungs burned, my legs ached, and then I tripped. Pain shot through my ankle as I hit the ground hard. When I looked up, my heart stopped.

A pair of glowing red eyes stared down at me.

The creature’s breath was hot and heavy, its chest rising with a low, feral snarl. I’d never seen anything so monstrous , black fur, jagged fangs, claws sinking into the dirt. It lunged

And then another wolf came out of nowhere, slamming into it with bone-cracking force.

The sound of snarls and snapping jaws filled the night. I could barely follow the blur of movement fur flashing silver and black, claws tearing through the ground, the smell of blood sharp in the air. The second wolf was massive, silver-gray with eyes like molten gold. He moved with terrifying precision, pinning the black one down and tearing it away from me. And then everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t in the forest anymore. Soft sheets cocooned me, warm against my skin. A fireplace glowed quietly nearby, its light flickering over polished wood and thick velvet curtains. The air smelled faintly of pine and smoke. Everything felt wrong, too quiet, too still but also safe in a strange way.

I tried to sit up. My ankle throbbed, wrapped in white bandages. My body felt heavy, sore.

The door creaked open.

A man stepped inside first tall, built like he could take on the world and win. His dark hair was tousled, and his golden eyes caught the firelight in a way that made my stomach twist. I knew those eyes. The gold wolf’s eyes.

A woman followed him. Stunning, elegant, her dark hair flowing past her shoulders. She stood close to him, her presence steady and graceful the kind of woman who didn’t need to speak to be respected.

“You’re awake,” the man said. His voice was deep, calm… cautious, almost.

swallowed hard. “Where am I?”

“You’re safe,” the woman replied before he could. Her tone was kind, but there was something else beneath it a faint edge of guilt. “You were attacked. He stopped it.”

I looked back at him. “You saved me?”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Jordan nearly crossed the border. He shouldn’t have been anywhere near our land.”

“Jordan?” I echoed, confused.

“A rogue from a rival pack,” he said quietly. “He’s been hunting anything that breathes — human or werewolf.”

I stared at him. “Pack? As in… wolves?”

His lips curved, but it wasn’t a smile. “Exactly that.”

The words made no sense. Wolves? Rogues? Packs?

I wanted to laugh, or scream, or both, but something about the way he said it the way his voice rumbled, the weight in his gaze told me he wasn’t joking.

" who are you" I asked

"He's the almighty Alpha of black ridge pack and his Luna pointing to the lady standing next to him " another man said walking into the room.

I recognized him immediately , the one who had brought clothes after the fight.

My heart stumbled, Alpha, Luna. The titles sounded unreal, but they carried power, the kind that made the air feel heavy. I felt like I was in a fantasy novel.

My mind buzzed, everything spinning too fast. My thoughts clashed and tangled until they hurt.

The Luna noticed my expression and stepped forward. “You need to rest,” she said softly. “We’ll explain everything later.”

“How am I supposed to rest after all this?” I murmured under my breath, voice breaking halfway through.

The room had gone too quiet.

The fire crackled softly, the sound almost drowned out by the pounding of my heart.

Alpha. Luna. Wolves. It all sounded impossible, yet every instinct in me said it was true. The air in this place felt different thicker, humming with something I couldn’t name.

I sank back into the pillows, trying to calm down. The Luna Mirabel, she’d called herself gave me a small, polite smile before turning to her husband.

“She’s still weak,” she said quietly. “Her wounds will need a few days.”

The Alpha Andrew nodded once. “Jackson will assign guards. We can’t risk Jordan circling back.”

Jordan. Even the name made my skin crawl.

Before I could stop myself, I asked, “That thing… Jordan. What was he? Why did he attack me?”

Mirabel hesitated. “A monster. One who doesn’t follow the laws of our kind.”

Their kind.

My stomach twisted. I didn’t know what was worse that monsters were real, or that I was apparently lying in one’s bed.

The door opened again.

A man walked in taller than the Alpha, maybe younger by a decade. His dark hair was tousled, his jaw sharp, and his eyes… God, his eyes. They were the same molten gold as Andrew’s, but brighter, fiercer like sunlight trapped in amber.

And the moment those eyes met mine, something in the air snapped.

He froze mid-step. His hand clenched by his side, breath catching like he’d been punched. The sound of the fire faded, the world shrinking down to just the two of us.

I didn’t even know his name, but I couldn’t look away. My chest tightened, heat crawling up my neck. It felt like the air itself was pulling us closer, like an invisible thread had just been tied between us.

Andrew turned slightly. “Derick.” His tone was warning, quiet but firm.

Derick. The name fit him strong, clean, too intense for comfort.

He didn’t move. He just stared, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable. His voice, when it finally came, was rough — like gravel.

“She’s… human.”

Mirabel’s smile faltered. Andrew’s eyes hardened.

“Yes,” Andrew said. “A human who was attacked on our borders. And she’s under my protection.”

Derick’s gaze flickered to his father, then back to me. I could see the struggle behind his eyes confusion, disbelief, and something else… something that looked a lot like pain.

He took a step closer, slow and hesitant, until he stood just a few feet away. Every instinct in my body screamed to move, but I couldn’t. There was something in the way he looked at me like he was seeing something I didn’t understand.

When he spoke again, his voice was lower.

“She’s not just human.”

Andrew’s brows furrowed. “Derick.”

But Derick didn’t back down. He stared at me like he was trying to fight the truth and losing. His jaw flexed, and for a second, I swore I saw gold flicker in his eyes again brighter this time, glowing faintly.

Then, just as quickly, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

The silence that followed felt heavier than before.

I let out a shaky breath, staring at the door. My pulse was still racing, though I didn’t know why.

Mirabel sighed softly, exchanging a look with Andrew that I didn’t understand. “Rest, dear,” she said gently. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

They both left, and I was alone again surrounded by warmth that somehow felt colder than the forest.

But no matter how hard I tried to calm down, I couldn’t shake one thought.

That man Derick when he looked at me it didn’t feel like he was seeing a stranger.

It felt like he already knew me.

And what does he mean by " she not just human"